Coach's Corner: 5-star OT Amarius Mims

As you know by now, the state of Georgia produces some of the top prospects in the country year in and year out. 

This year, the state’s big prize is five-star offensive tackle, Amarius Mims‍.

Dawg Post went to visit with Mims down in Bleckley County in February of 2019, and it was definitely a memorable visit. We saw Peach County offensive lineman Terrence Ferguson‍ earlier in the day, and we visited with Upson Lee star Travon Walker‍ and Callaway running back Tank Bigsby‍ the day prior. We know what Travon Walker is able to do as he was highly productive for the Bulldogs as a freshman last fall, and Terrence Ferguson has the potential to be an impact player as well, but Mims was just on another level when it comes to pure size. He was a big boy last February, but sources tell Dawg Post that Mims is now up to 6-foot-8 and 320-pounds. 

The first time Dawg Post saw Mims was in the Bleckley County hallway as he was getting escorted out of class. He looked like a future NFL power forward or WWE wrestler. He’s one of the taller prospects in the country and holds 300+ pounds with ease. He has a lean frame, long arms, and the overall look of a future NFL offensive tackle.

He certainly has the size. He passes the “grandmother test”, the “girlfriend test”, whatever you want to call it. He’s a “first guy off the bus” type, and it’s easy to see his five-star potential on just size alone. While having the right size is important, Mims also backs up his five-star status with his play on the field.

Dawg Post spoke recently with Bleckley County (GA) offensive line coach, Ryan Mckenzie, to find out what exactly makes Mims such a special prospect. 

“Amarius (Mims) is incredibly fast, he pulls well, he anchors well, he gets off the ball really quick and he has tremendous size, but his ability to move at 6’8 320-pounds is a thing of beauty to watch,” Mckenzie told Dawg Post.  “He works extremely hard every day and is one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever had.”

That hard work is what Bleckley County is all about. It’s a program that’s run extremely well and just breeds toughness. That is one of the aspects of Mims’ game that stands out the most. With the 2021 class very deep along the offensive line across the country, Mckenzie still believes that Mims is the best of the bunch.

“I believe he’s the most flexible big man I’ve ever been around and he’s a great bender,” Mckenzie added.  “He plays angry and aggressive. He’s unreal in the run game and he’s becoming more of a student of the game.”

Mims really does check all the boxes. He has the size, the length, the flexibility, the toughness, etc. So, what are the actual strengths of his game? Mckenzie answered that question, too.

“I think his biggest strengths on the field is his length, making him unreal in the pass protection. Athleticism, allowing him the chance to get in space and get to second and third-level defenders easily, and then physically, his ability to dominate down lineman in the run game.”

Size? Check. Athleticism? Check. Ability to dominate? Check. Pass protection? Check. 

No prospect is perfect, and there are always things to improve on. As good as he already is, Mims is showing the determination and the drive to perfect his craft and become the best player that he can be.

“The biggest thing we are doing is working on his leadership style and ability,” Mckenzie said.  “He’s such a good kid, he struggles with holding people accountable or understanding how to get them to a level that’s beneficial for them and the team. He’s big and gifted and we are trying to help him understand that everyone doesn’t have that those gifts. So encouraging, supporting, motivating, and pushing your teammates will help them reach their maximum potential. On the field, we wanted to look at his initial punch in pass protection. We want him to strike more violently on the first punch and not lend so much in pass pro and improve his pulling technique mechanics.”

If Mims continues to progress and develop the way we expect, Mims could be an absolutely dominant tackle at the next level. He has those “elite” qualities that make him stand out over other prospects across the country. He has the support from his coaches and he has the mental makeup to learn quickly and do things the right way. 

That’s why he’s a five star. That’s why he’s one of the top overall prospects in the country.

Dawg Post has Mims ranked as the top-overall prospect in the state of Georgia. He’s also ranked as the No.6 overall prospect in the country in the 2021 class.